June 2006, Issue 71 [pdf 2.8mb, 40 - Royal New Zealand Air Force

14
TOP CLASS MEDICS
Highly trained, multi-skilled and fully competent. Rest assured that
while on deployment NZDF personnel are in the best of medical
hands. The RNZAF’s ‘top class’ medics are trained to a very high
professional standard and are fully competent to diagnose, treat and
respond appropriately to most medical situations. Grant Carr talked to
F/S Russell Clarke about the RNZAF Medical Trade.
Despite rumours to the contrary the RNZAF Medical Trade – with 45
personnel including 41 medics, two doctors and two administrators
- is thriving, says Auckland-based medic F/S Russell Clarke. Its
development of an extensive training programme for medics and expansion
into setting up a Boeing 757 Aeromedical Evacuation are further proof that
the trade is now fi rmly entrenched, he says.
But there was a time, back in 2000, when the trade’s future was less
secure. A Defence-wide review of medical services, the Defence Medical
Review (DMR) was aimed at working out just precisely what were the
user requirements for medical and dental services within the NZDF. The
RNZAF decided to suspend recruiting medics until the DMR was complete.
Unfortunately the uncertainty around the trade’s future saw many good
medics leave for further education or more secure jobs in the ambulance
and other medical services.
A fi rm directive from then CAF AVM John Hamilton stopped the rot and
recommitted the RNZAF to a medic trade within the Service. Recruiting
new medics began in earnest in 2002. Up to six new medics are now
being recruited annually bolstered by Service transfers from Army and
Navy and some re-enlistments. The biggest problem facing the trade now
is retaining senior medics so they can pass on their considerable skills to
new recruits.
The main advantages of having a Service-based Medical Trade, says
F/S Clarke, are that ‘we can keep a close eye on the medical standards
of our Service personnel. Time is not wasted on going to see a General
Practitioner (doctor) and we can also monitor what medical conditions and
medications RNZAF personnel have. It also benefi ts our personnel to have
continuity of care when dealing with medical conditions or issues. We have
very stringent follow-up procedures in place to make sure personnel get
a high standard of follow-up medical care.
‘It also means that when we deploy overseas and in the fi eld within New
Zealand, the squadrons know us as another Air Force personnel/medic
and how we operate.’
EXTENSIVE TRAINING
The RNZAF medic’s training is both unique and extensive in that it covers
many specialist medical occupations.
Like doctors (although obviously to a lesser extent) our medics are taught
to diagnose and treat and are taught basic nursing skills.
‘Like paramedics we cover pre-hospital emergency care. We learn
basic laboratory skills (drawing blood and taking swabs), like Laboratory
Technicians. We also learn about Environment Health and Occupation
Health and Safety as these are roles we pick up while deployed
operationally overseas, says F/S Clarke.
Medics must fi rst complete a Junior Medics Course (JMC). This is
a fulltime course completed at Burnham Army Camp’s Joint Services
Health School (JSHS). The three-month course covers such subjects as
Responsibilities of the Medic/Medical Assistant, Basic Health Sciences,
the Diagnostic Process, Administer Basic Emergency Care, Manage Minor
Medical/Surgical Conditions, Perform Patient Care and Assessment
Procedures, Pharmacology, Basic Preventative Medicine Measures and
Medical Administration.
Medics are then posted to an RNZAF Base Medical Flight where they
spend the next 40 weeks working under supervision and are mentored
by a senior medic. They have a task book and assignments as well as an
Anatomy and Physiology exam they must pass before going on to complete
their Intermediate Medics Course (IMC).
The three-month IMC is also at Burnham’s JSHS and covers, in greater
depth, the same subjects as the JMC.
Medics then spend 10 weeks attached to a civilian hospital - currently
Christchurch Public Hospital - where they work in the Emergency
Department, Theatre, Post Op (caring for patients directly after surgery),
General and Orthopaedic wards. They complete a task book including
certain procedures and assessments during this training.
After civilian hospital training medics go on to complete civilian
ambulance training. Fulltime for fi ve weeks they are attached to a civilian
ambulance service - currently with the St Johns Ambulance Service in
Christchurch. They are mentored by an experienced Advanced Paramedic
and get procedures and assessments signed off in their task book.
Once all this training is completed the medics can operate under the
Defence Medical Treatment Protocols (DMTPs) as qualifi ed medics. The
DMTPs are issued by the Director General of Defence Medical Services
(DGDMS) and allow medics to administer medications without the direct
supervision of a doctor. Medics have to complete annual competencies to
stay current to use the DMTPs, if they do not complete these competencies
they cannot work unsupervised.
Medics then go on to complete the Diploma in Military Medicine (DMM).
This is civilian qualifi cation and is run by the Auckland University of
Technology (AUT) and JSHS. It is made up of fi ve modules: Biological and
Social Science (9 weeks in duration), Diagnosis and Treatment (8 weeks),
Emergency Care and Disaster Medicine (6 weeks) and the Practice of
Military Medicine (3 weeks). After the completion of the Emergency Care
and Disaster Medicine module medics are reclassifi ed to Senior Medics and
can deploy on sole charge (without a doctor) on exercises and operational
deployments.
After medics have completed their Diploma they are encouraged to go
on and complete other tertiary medical education. ‘We currently have one
medic who has completed their Bachelor in Health Science Paramedic
(Advanced Paramedic qualification) and is currently completing an
Aeromedical Retrieval and Transportation Diploma,’ says F/S Clarke.
AFN71 JUNE 06 www.airforce.mil.nz